Vy turned around to look at him. She refused to make eye contact with him but his facial features were difficult to miss. His hair was short and styled to the side, the right side of the head was shaved. He was wearing a simple get up, a dark colour shirt and a pair of dark blue denim.
"Maybe some other time," Vy replied before heading down the stairs, disappearing into the bar crowd and out the door.
While the crowd and lively atmosphere made her feel electrified, it was way too crowded for her taste. Vy hastened her pace and walked back into the bustling marketplace, hoping to see if there was more to explore.
Each stall sold a whole array of wares, each different from the other. One store sold only spices, while the other sold preserved fruits and vegetables. Another store sold crafted jewellery, while another sold clothes and footwear.
Vy looked at her own clothes that she wore. While it wasn't too shabby, it was not in the best condition either. Her shoes were worn out from her travels and were ready to split. If only she had more money for better clothes.
While the range of clothes offered greatly in price point and style, Vy wanted the ones she could not afford and that made her bit her lip. It was not that she did not have enough money, but she knew that the money was best kept safely for now. Clothes could wait, hunger could not.
While she continued to ponder over some of the clothing in the shop, the shopkeeper noticed her and was appalled by Vy's appearance. What was such a poorly dressed customer doing in his shop? The shopkeeper wore a straight face as he approached Vy and asked if she needed anything.
Vy knew something was off. She could also sense that the other customers in the shop were put off by her presence. Everyone else around her were dressed better, with fine jewellery matching their outfits.
"That's quite alright, I'm just browsing," Vy replied with a soft smile.
"Well, I would recommend the store two shops down on the right. They probably have something," the shopkeeper paused to look at Vy from head to toe, "more in your price range."
One of the customers stifled laughter while the shopkeeper grinned at her. Such fools should not be dealt with lightly, but Vy knew any word she said or any action she did would be eyed by everyone around her. She needed to keep her calm.
"Oh, I see. Thank you for the advice, shopkeeper. I will be sure to bear that in mind. May I know your name," Vy asked, maintaining her smile.
The shopkeeper wanted to roll his eyes, but he did not, "I'm Walron Macoy."
Vy simply nodded and left the store. As she stepped out into the street, she looked down the street and looked for the store that Walron had mentioned to her.
The storekeeper of that store was welcoming and warm. It was run by a middle-aged woman with braided silver hair.
"Welcome, miss. Are you looking for anything in particular?"
It was a different type of welcome, a better one. "Yes, I am looking for a new set of clothing, to replace my current ones. But I must say, I do not have much to pay with at the moment."
The woman nodded, "That's quite alright. If you're planning to stay in this town for a while, you can pay me back little by little, that would not be an issue."
Vy lit up, "Really? That would be alright with you?"
"Of course! I am not a travelling merchant, as you can probably tell from my age. Plus, I have good judgement in people. I think you're a good one."
Vy smiled as the woman introduced herself as Carole Knots, the lone owner of the clothing shop. All the clothes were sewn by her while the materials were sourced from travelling peddlers. When Vy told her what she was looking for, Carole knew immediately what would be suitable.
From the back of her shop, she opened a wooden chest and brought out five pieces of garments for Vy to choose from. While she did not know much about fabric and designs, Vy knew what she liked.
After some thought and advice from Carole, she made up her mind on a set of clothing that included a long-sleeved blouse, a leather jacket and a pair of pants. Based on Vy's choices, Carole offered to include a pair of fingerless leather gloves to help complete her outfit.
"So, how much would the total be?"
Carole took a look at the items, " Well, the blouse would be 6 coppers, the jacket would be 15, and the pants would be 10. All in all, 1 silver will do."
Vy thought for a while and negotiated with Carole for her to pay her everything before the end of the week. She took out the ring she had found in the cabin and asked if Carole would take it as a downpayment. The woman took one look at it and shook her head.
"I can't take that in good faith! It's worth at least 2 silvers. I think old Potto next door should be able to give a better evaluation."
Carole called out to Potto and the old man from the store next to hers came into the shop. He had a long grey beard and wore a special pair of glasses.
"Carole, what's the matter?" The old man asked as he stroked his long beard.
"Potto, I need you to help me evaluate this ring that this lovely young lady brought in. How much is it worth?"